Latest Texas FSA News

• USDA Expands Grasslands Conservation Program to Small-Scale Livestock Producers
• Farm Service Agency 'Bridges' Program Expands Nationwide

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FSA: Impact Across Texas - Fiscal Year 2016

From 2009 to 2016, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) delivered nearly $13.6 billion in federal farm program payments and loans to Texas farmers and ranchers, including $1.9 billion during Fiscal Year 2016 (Oct. 1, 2015 - Sept. 30, 2016). Follow the Annual Report links below, which break payments down by year, program, and county.

View the Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report
View the Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report
View the Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report
View the Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report

Spotlights

Texas Rancher and Veteran Josh Eilers

Farm Bill Website and Online Overview of Farm Bill Programs

For the latest on 2014 Farm Bill programs administered by FSA, please visit our Farm Bill website at www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill and for an FSA program overview please read, download, or print our recently posted FSA Farm Bill Fact Sheet, What’s in the 2014 Farm Bill for Farm Service Agency Customers?

CRP - 30 Years of Conservation

2015 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Conservation Reserve program (CRP) and in recognition of this milestone; FSA has launched a commemorative website. The web address is www.fsa.usda.gov/CRPis30. We hope you’ll visit the site often to take an interactive, cross-country tour and see the nationwide impact of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) unfold virtually over the next several months.

Watch the FSA/NRCS CRPis30 Video honoring the significant impacts of CRP on the Texas landscape here.

FSA Disaster Programs

USDA Hay Net
FSA has a national website for producers to list information concerning the need for or the availability of hay.

Texas Department of Agriculture Hay Hotline
Producers who have hay or need hay can call the Hay and Grazing Hotline toll free number 1-877-429-1998 or visit their website at http://www.gotexan.org/HayhotlineHome.aspx.

Emergency Farm Loans

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine.

Loan Uses:

Click Here to download an Emergency Loan package. We also encourage you to contact your local office or USDA Service Center to learn more about our programs and the information you will need for a complete application.

Direct Farm Loans

FSA makes direct and guaranteed farm ownership (FO) and operating loans (OL) to family-size farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank, Farm Credit System institution, or other lenders. FSA loans can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies. Our loans can also be used to construct buildings or make farm improvements.

Click here for an FSA loan application package. We also encourage you to contact your local office or USDA Service Center to learn more about our programs and the information you will need for a complete application.

Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP)

This program is part of an environmental strategy to reduce the United States' reliance on foreign oil, improve domestic energy security and generate economic activity in the agriculture industry by supporting emerging biofuels markets through incentives programs for agriculture producers.

FSA provides incentives through BCAP to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who want to switch from growing traditional crops to new, unconventional bioenergy crops. These Incentives reduce the financial risk that the producer assumes when growing non-traditional crops used to produce heat, power, bio-based products and biofuels. To find out more click here.

Welcome to the Texas Farm Service Agency webpage

Our goal is to ensure that Texas farmers, ranchers and producers have the opportunity to fully utilize the technical assistance, funding and programs that FSA has to offer.

From 2009 to 2016, Texas FSA averaged $1 billion each year in investment in our state’s agriculture delivery system.

Texas plays a vital role in production agriculture in the United States. Texas leads the nation in the number of farms which total 247,500 farms. Additionally, Texas is a national leader in the production of cotton, wool and mohair.

Texas FSA serves the state's 254 counties through a network of 173 county offices and 33 Farm Loan Offices. The state office headquarters is based in College Station, Texas.

We are committed to providing full delivery of all available programs throughout the state. The Agency offers commodity, price support, disaster, emergency and conservation programs. FSA programs are designed to provide an important safety net for farmers and ranchers during times of economic uncertainty, disaster and emergency.

The FSA Farm Loan Program administers both direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans. The farm loan programs ensure that eligible producers have access to the capital they need to start, continue or expand their agricultural operation. FSA works with a network of commercial banks and lenders to provide government guaranteed loans for farm ownership and operations. In addition, the farm microloan program provides more flexible access to credit for smaller farming operations including specialty, niche and local food producers.

Texas FSA is eager to assist all eligible producers with their agriculture endeavors. We encourage new customers such as beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to review the resources available at FSA. We also seek veterans, many of which are returning to their homes in rural communities, to consider agriculture as a viable option for their career. We see a growing group of new farmers, which are women, who add a valuable contribution to the agriculture industry.

FSA directly impacts the lives of farmers and ranchers every day. Our continuous effort to assist producers ensures that a safe, affordable and nutritious food supply is readily available to all consumers.

Contact us at:

United States Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency
2405 Texas Ave. S.
College Station, TX 77840
979/680-5151 Voice
979/680-5235 Fax
Email us